Rod MacDonald Broken Men and Fallen Women

"Broken Men and Fallen Women" by Rod MacDonald is a thriller about a woman with a secret shady past that has finally caught up with her, provoking an extreme act of self defence on her part. Set mostly in Edinburgh the story follows the woman to prison; her husband's search for the truth; her lawyer's efforts to build a case to defend her, and her ex-husband's search for retribution.

Some of the subplots delve into the seedier side of city life and introduce a selection of characters ranging from doomed innocents through religious hypocrites to hardened criminals. As the story progresses the past becomes clearer and the plot builds towards a future that looks violent and uncertain.

If you like books that make you want to keep reading, that get a bit gritty and real (and sometimes a bit perverse) and that don't provoke too much debate on the human condition, this is worth a read.